Hasbro Returns to Comic-Con

With globally renowned brands including TRANSFORMERS, MY LITTLE PONY, JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS, KRE-O and G.I. JOE as well as licensed toy lines for MARVEL, STAR WARS, SESAME STREET and STAR TREK, few exhibitors at Comic-Con International in San Diego can boast the pedigree of properties so significant to the heritage of the popular arts than Hasbro. To celebrate these brands, which span comics, animation, action figures, blockbuster movies and additional entertainment experiences, Hasbro will deliver an unprecedented lineup of panels, autograph sessions, special edition toys and more that surpasses anything in its past history at the show. The fan communities of these properties are among the most passionate and dedicated in the world and Hasbro will deliver a tremendous experience tailored specifically for them and all convention goers based on the rich Hasbro portfolio of characters, stories and products.

Over the years Hasbro has become a Comic-Con International mainstay and its booth remains one of the most popular at the convention. With one of the largest presences at the show, the Company continues to grow its broad range of opportunities for fans spanning Hasbro, HasbroToyShop.com, WIZARDS OF THE COAST, Hasbro Studios and The Hub TV Network and more as Comic-Con continues to expand. Hasbro will deliver unique experiences for attendees, pulling in the creative talent behind its biggest pop culture properties and licensed toy lines including custom displays for its latest toys and action figures.

“Hasbro looks forward to Comic-Con International in San Diego every year,” said John Frascotti, chief marketing officer, Hasbro, Inc. “Connecting with our most passionate fans is extremely important to us and we’re thrilled to offer an incredible line up of special edition collectibles, panels and opportunities to meet the talent behind our remarkable brands like TRANSFORMERS, MY LITTLE PONY and G.I. JOE that have become synonymous with the popular arts.”

The following features highlights of activities across Hasbro brands and licensed properties to be showcased in the Hasbro booth (#3213) and around the convention.

G.I. JOE

From action figures and animated series to movie and video games, the G.I. JOE brand from Hasbro has been an enduring pop culture icon for generations of fans. At Comic-Con, the Hasbro booth will provide G.I. JOE enthusiasts with an up close look at the entire upcoming G.I. JOE: RETALIATION line including newly announced items revealed at the G.I. JOE convention as well as the recently announced G.I. JOE MICRO FORCE line. The Hasbro booth at Comic-Con will be an opportunity for fans to see them in person before they hit shelves in the spring of 2013. The G.I. JOE: RETALIATION movie from Paramount Pictures is scheduled to hit theaters on March 29th, 2013 in 3D and stars Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum, Bruce Willis, Adrianne Palicki and more. As G.I. JOE fans know (and knowing is half the battle), the vehicles and costumes featured in the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA saga are just as important as the characters. As a special opportunity for fans, Hasbro will have props from the movie on display including the FIREFLY character’s motorcycle and the COBRA COMMANDER character’s iconic helmet.

Hasbro and the G.I. JOE publishers at IDW will also be celebrating the ongoing legacy and heritage of G.I. JOE comics by welcoming G.I. JOE comics legend, Larry Hama to its booth for an autograph session on Saturday, July 14 from 1:00-2:00pm. Tickets for the autograph session will be available at the Hasbro booth on Saturday morning beginning at 9:00am and G.I. JOE comics are available for purchase at the IDW booth (#2643).

KAIJUDO: RISE OF THE DUEL MASTERSTM

Produced by Hasbro Studios and currently airing on The Hub TV Network in the U.S., KAIJUDO: RISE OF THE DUEL MASTERSTM is a new animated action-fantasy series based on the popular trading card game from WIZARDS OF THE COAST, a Hasbro subsidiary. The WIZARDS OF THE COAST booth (#3249) will be dedicated to this new property at Comic-Con for fans to experience throughout the show. Hasbro will welcome voice talent from the show including, Scott Wolf the voice of RAY, David Sobolov the voice of TATSURION THE UNCHAINED (a.k.a. “Bob”), Phil Lamar the voice of GABE and Kari Wahlgreen the voice of ALLIE to its booth on Saturday, July 14 from 11:00am-12:00pm. Tickets for the autograph session will be available at the Hasbro booth on Saturday morning beginning at 9:00am while supplies last. The special guests will be signing special edition KAIJUDO: RISE OF THE DUEL MASTERSTM posters featuring their characters from the new animated series. Hasbro will also host a giveaway of limited edition KAIJUDO: RISE OF THE DUEL MASTERS TM posters on Sunday, July 15 from 9:00-10:00am in the Hasbro booth while supplies last.

KRE-O

At Comic-Con, the KRE-O brand from Hasbro boldly goes where no one has gone before. Based on the upcoming STAR TREK sequel from Paramount Pictures and directed by J.J. Abrams, the KRE-O STAR TREK line, under license from CBS Consumer Products, features a variety of vehicles from the movie along with fun KREON figures based on iconic STAR TREK characters. Fans will be able to see the KRE-O STAR TREK U.S.S. ENTERPRISE set and select KREON figures for the first time in person at the Hasbro Comic-Con booth beginning on Preview Night, July 11.

In a groundbreaking move for entertainment based building sets, Hasbro teamed up with J.J. Abrams, director of the upcoming STAR TREK sequel, to create a KRE-O STAR TREK stop motion digital short. The digital short, produced by Bad Robot, features icons of the STAR TREK saga in a stand-alone storyline and will premiere at a later date in partnership with Paramount Pictures. Fans can view a teaser trailer now on the KRE-O brand Youtube channel at www.Youtube.com/KREO or at the convention in the Hasbro booth.

STAR TREK will mark the third major entertainment property to be featured in the KRE-O line. Hasbro successfully introduced the KRE-O brand in 2011 with building sets featuring its globally popular TRANSFORMERS characters and in 2012 introduced the KRE-O BATTLESHIP line. New KRE-O BATTLESHIP and KRE-O TRANSFORMERS sets will be on display in the Hasbro booth including never before seen KRE-O TRANSFORMERS expressions: KRE-O TRANSFORMERS MICROCHANGERS and KRE-O TRANSFORMERS MICROCHANGERS COMBINERS. Fans won’t want to miss these new reveals as well a chance to snap a photo with KRE-O character statues including TRANSFORMERS BUMBLEBEE, a BATTLESHIP ALIEN and STAR TREK CAPTAIN KIRK all in their unique KREON expressions! Fans will also want to get their hands on a special edition KRE-O BATTLESHIP BATTLE-BOAT building set sample pack which will be distributed at various times throughout the show while supplies last.

MARVEL

In a banner year for MARVEL Super Heroes, Hasbro, home of the master MARVEL toy license, will be celebrating its MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS and THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN toy lines in support of the two massive blockbusters as well its wildly popular MARVEL UNIVERSE and MARVEL LEGENDS collector lines.

Fans of the MARVEL UNIVERSE, MARVEL LEGENDS and other MARVEL action figure lines will want to check out the Hasbro booth for a comprehensive look at the extensive line-up of 2012 toys as well as new, upcoming figures revealed for the first time following the Hasbro MARVEL panel taking place on Saturday at 4:00-5:00pm. Attendees will also get to “assemble” and be “amazing” in the Hasbro booth where they can pose as their own action figure in either an AVENGERS or AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ‘life-sized’ MARVEL blister card package!

Visitors will also see something brand new for 2012 as Hasbro showcases its new MARVEL BONKAZONKS stunt battling game line in a unique display. With over one hundred BONKAZONKS figures to collect in 2012, this new stunt battling expression where kids “Flick, Stack, Spin and Attack” their way to victory is a highly collectible and unique way to play with MARVEL Super Heroes! Fans can visit www.BONKAZONKS.com for more information about the new game and to battle with BONKAZONKS online.

MY LITTLE PONY

The MY LITTLE PONY brand, a pop-culture phenomenon from Hasbro, gallops into Comic-Con in 2012 with a hit animated series, new toys and an extensive line of licensed goods. Featuring a unique sense of humor, memorable characters and endearing stories about the power of friendship, the MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC animated series, produced by Hasbro Studios and airing on The Hub in the U.S., has amassed a fan following as varied as the ponies of PONYVILLE. Comic-Con attendees will be able to snap photos of a life-sized PINKIE PIE character statue, gaze at a giant MY LITTLE PONY cast mural emblazoned on an entire wall within the Hasbro booth and get a look at an extensive line-up of current MY LITTLE PONY toys, licensed apparel and more. The MY LITTLE PONY brand will also unveil the winning design from its “Design a MY LITTLE PONY” contest with the winning figure on display beginning on Preview Night.

To transport fans to and from the convention in style, The Hub will transform the interior and exterior of one car of the San Diego trolley system to create a magical MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC experience showcasing some of the series’ characters. The train will be styled as the Friendship Express train, which is featured in the popular animated series. The Hub is also unveiling the “My Little Pony Friendship is Magic” themed, 8-bit “Adventure Pony” game on Hubworld.com; visitors to the network’s Comic-Con headquarters at popular eatery The Broken Yolk will receive a secret code to gain exclusive access to game.

As a very special experience for fans, Hasbro welcomes several voice actors behind many of the most popular ponies and a story editor from the MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC series for an autograph signing session. Andrea Libman, voice of PINKIE PIE and FLUTTERSHY; Tabitha St. Germain, voice of RARITY; Tara Strong, voice of TWILIGHT SPARKLE; Cathy Weseluck, voice of SPIKE; and story editor Meghan McCarthy, will sign MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC keepsakes in the Hasbro booth from 3:00-4:00pm on Friday, July 12. Tickets are required for the session and will be distributed beginning at 9:00am on Friday in the Hasbro booth while supplies last.

SESAME STREET

Superheroes abound at Comic-Con every year but not all are the same. Some are strong, some are fast, some are…blue, fuzzy and use their powers of observation to solve problems! Hasbro and its PLAYSKOOL brand are excited to celebrate the upcoming launch of its FLYING SUPER GROVER 2.0 toy. Eric Jacobson, the man behind Super Grover 2.0, will be available for a special autograph session on Thursday, July 12 from 9:30-10:30am in the Hasbro booth. Lucky fans will have the chance to meet Eric for an autograph and pose for a picture with Super Grover 2.0. Tickets for the session will be distributed in the Hasbro booth on Wednesday, July 11 during Preview Night while supplies last (a ticket is required to participate). FLYING SUPER GROVER 2.0 is one of the most talked about preschool toys for the upcoming holiday season and comes to life when kids pick him up and “fly” him around the room. His arms will rise as if he’s flying and he will let children know whether he’s “Going up” or “Going down!”

STAR WARS

The Force is strong with Hasbro at Comic-Con International as the Company celebrates the recent launch of its popular STAR WARS FIGHTER PODS toy line, new action figures, the epic Course of the Force Lightsaber relay and more! To celebrate the highly collectible STAR WARS FIGHTER PODS line, visitors to the Hasbro booth will be able to pose in front of a unique display featuring DARTH VADER and CHEWBACCA statues in their ‘Micro Heroes, Mega Battles’ FIGHTER PODS expression as well as a massive FIGHTER POD in the shape of a DEATH STAR filled with thousands of figures from the new line. Additionally, in what is becoming a Comic-Con tradition for Hasbro, fans of the traditional action figure lines will be able to step inside a ‘life-size’ DARTH VADER RETURN OF THE JEDI blister card package and pose as their own action figure. Hasbro will be sampling STAR WARS FIGHTER PODS blind bags featuring one FIGHTER PODS figure and one “Pod” which will be distributed at various times throughout the show to fans while supplies last.

STAR WARS collectors will want to visit the Hasbro booth to get a sneak peak at current and upcoming toys in its MOVIE HEROES, CLONE WARS, VINTAGE, and FIGHTER PODS action figure lines. Fans won’t want to miss these reveals as well as a look at the extensive line of STAR WARS vehicle toys and roleplay items to act out the intergalactic saga including ELECTRONIC MASKS, ULTIMATE FX LIGHTSABERS and more.

However, as STAR WARS fans know, the ULTIMATE FX LIGHTSABER can’t be contained in the Hasbro booth alone. The ‘elegant weapon’ will be featured in the Course of the Force, an Olympic-style Lightsaber relay presented by LucasFilm and Nerdist, taking place in the days leading up to Comic-Con, where participants will make a journey from Santa Monica to San Diego. Participants will hand off a custom Hasbro STAR WARS ULTMATE FX LIGHTSABER, the official Lightsaber of the Course of the Force, to the next runner as they begin their leg of the journey. Hasbro will welcome Ashley Eckstein voice of Ahsoka Tano in STAR WARS THE CLONE WARS and of the STAR WARS Course of the Force to its booth for an autograph session on Sunday, July 15 from 2:30-3:30pm in celebration of the epic Lightsaber relay where she will sign special Course of the Force photos for lucky fans. Tickets are required for participation and will be distributed in the Hasbro booth beginning at 9:00am on Sunday while supplies last.

TRANSFORMERS

The astoundingly prolific TRANSFORMERS brand from Hasbro will have an equally impressive presence at Comic-Con. From action figures to video games, animated series to comics, the TRANSFORMERS brand in 2012 offers an exciting lineup of new takes on the pop-culture powerhouse that is truly “MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE.” Hasbro will present the perennially popular TRANSFORMERS brand panel on Friday at 1:30pm where never before seen action figures from across the TRANSFORMERS PRIME, GENERATIONS, BOTSHOTS, KRE-O and RESCUEBOTS expressions will be unveiled. Newly revealed action figures in this presentation will be featured in the Hasbro booth display cases following the panel. Beyond the news-packed panel, Hasbro is delivering all of the new ways to experience the TRANSFORMERS brand in 2012 to Comic-Con with a lineup of events as diverse at the TRANSFORMERS characters themselves!

TRANSFORMERS PRIME

Towering over all of Comic-Con and the Hasbro booth is a 17-foot tall OPTIMUS PRIME statue in the styling of the TRANSFOMERS PRIME animated series – and he has a lot to celebrate. The hit animated series produced by Hasbro Studios currently airing on The Hub in the U.S. recently wrapped its second season for which it won two 2012 Daytime Emmy© Awards, for a total of four since it first premiered in 2010. Hasbro also “rolled out” an extensive line of action figures based on the series and fans will be able to see the full 2012 lineup of TRANSFORMERS PRIME figures in both robot and vehicle mode in an extensive booth presentation including an intricate TRANSFORMERS PRIME diorama featuring space bridges, VEHICONS and more! Plus, Hasbro will distribute samples of TRANSFORMERS PRIME CYBERVERSE Legion Scale figures to convention goers in the Hasbro booth at various times throughout the show, while supplies last. Fans of the series and the iconic voice of OPTIMUS PRIME won’t want to miss the “OPTIMUS PRIME: Up Close and Personal” panel on Friday, July 13 at 6:00pm, presented by Hasbro Studios and The Hub TV Network where Larry King, one of the most recognized broadcast interviewers in the world, salutes legendary OPTIMUS PRIME voice actor, Peter Cullen, in an exclusive one-on-one interview.

TRANSFORMERS RESCUE BOTS

TRANSFORMERS RESCUEBOTS, a new animated series from Hasbro Studios and toy line for younger TRANSFORMERS fans, celebrates its first Comic-Con by offering attendees the chance to meet HEATWAVE, one of the series’ characters in the Hasbro booth. The HEATWAVE costume character will be in the booth as well as at “The Hub Headquarters at the Broken Yolk” at various times throughout the convention. The TRANSFORMERS RESCUE BOTS series, currently in its first season, airs on The Hub in the U.S.

TRANSFORMERS: THE RIDE-3D

The TRANSFORMERS brand also saw the opening of its very first thrill ride in the U.S. in 2012 with the recent launch of TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D at Universal Studios Hollywood. To celebrate the ride at Comic-Con, fans will have the chance to receive limited edition TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D commemorative launch posters beginning at 6:00pm in the Hasbro booth while supplies last.

TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON

In celebration of the upcoming, highly anticipated and critically heralded TRANSFORMERS: Fall of Cybertron video game from Activision, available August 21, 2012, Hasbro will welcome game designers to the Hasbro booth at 10:00am on Friday, July 13 to present a look at game play. Action figures based on the CYBERTRONIAN style of the video game (and featured in the brand’s GENERATIONS line) will be on display in the Hasbro booth. For an in-depth TRANSFORMERS: Fall of Cybertron video game experience, fans will also want to check out the Activision booth (#5344).

TRANSFORMERS COMICS

To wrap up Comic-Con in 2012, the TRANSFORMERS brand goes back to the convention’s roots and welcomes amazing talent behind two popular comic series from IDW based on the TRANSFORMERS brand. Chris Metzen (writer) and Livio Ramondelli (artist) from the TRANSFORMERS AUTOCRACY series and John Barber (writer) and Andrew Griffith (artist) from the TRANSFORMERS: ROBOTS IN DISGUISE series will be signing autographs from 1:00-2:00pm on Sunday in the Hasbro booth. (TRANSFORMERS comics will be available for purchase in the IDW booth, #2643). Tickets are required for the session and will be distributed beginning at 9:00am on Sunday in the Hasbro booth while supplies last.